This blog exists to support liberatory collectivist activism that is anti-patriarchy, anti-colonialism, and anti-capitalism. It also seeks to center the experiences, theories, and agendas of radical and feminist women of color.

Friday, January 8, 2010

22 Sex Offences and What Do You Get: 21 Months in Jail?! (Can someone tell me: Where does justice and the protection of children from sex offenders like Graeme Murray Purvis exist?)

Above is an image of justice linked to the U.S. Whereas the story that follows takes place in New Zealand. But is it me, or are others also pleased with what it is Lady Liberty seems to have just cut off?

Graeme Murray Purvis [there is such a thing as bitter irony] (45), of Dunedin, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday on 22 charges brought by Dunedin police and the Department of Internal Affairs involving the possession, making and distribution of child sexual abuse images, and the attempted sexual grooming of a 15-year-old girl.Purvis was sentenced to 3 years' prison, of which he must serve at least 21 months. [A whole 21 months? Poor misopedic/misogynist dear. I'll go out on a limb and say that chances are in 21 months, and in 3 years, his victims will still be carrying the impact of the assaults. And this would be justice for whom, exactly?!]

The officer in charge of the case, Constable Julian Real, of North Dunedin, told the Otago Daily Times police were alerted to the images on Purvis' computer by an "associate".

A search uncovered a computer containing thousands of objectionable images.

Some photos were obtained from social networking sites, such as Bebo and Facebook and were filed on his computer and on his cellphone, with the person's name, age and location.

Const Real confirmed Purvis had images and personal details of girls from the Dunedin area.

Police had spoken to parents, who were "quite devastated".

None of the children had any contact from Purvis, he said.

The photos did not have to be sexually explicit, but could feature innocent activities such as children in a pool, and could be shared internationally.

"I would be very wary of posting images online," he said.

Internal Affairs deputy secretary Keith Manch, of Wellington, said the sentence was a reminder that those trading images of child abuse or grooming children for sexual offences "should understand that enforcement agencies around the world are co-operating to find them and stop them".

Mr Manch said it was disappointing Purvis refused treatment through the Kia Marama programme, which helps aid the rehabilitation of offenders.

Sensible Sentencing Trust spokesman Garth McVicar, of Napier, said Purvis' sentence made him "sick", particularly as he refused to enrol in programmes designed to rehabilitate child abuse offenders.

"He should be getting preventive detention if he does not want to enrol in a programme.

"It would encourage him to address his offending or stay in jail."

The officer in charge of the Dunedin Child Abuse Team, Detective Sergeant Malcolm Inglis, said the sentence would be a deterrent for other child abusers.

Asked if he agreed with Mr McVicar that offenders refusing rehabilitation programmes should be given preventive detention, Detective Sergeant Inglis said "I don't want to get into that debate . . .

"There is no easy answer."[Unless to imprison him for life. Which, to me, is a reasonable and not terribly complex answer.]

However Detective Sergeant Inglis said it was preferable if offenders took part in some form of rehabilitation programme, such as Kia Marama, while in prison as studies showed the "rate of reoffending is quite low".
Police worked closely with the Ministry of Justice to monitor offenders on their release back to the community, he said.

The sentencing served as a reminder to the community that this kind of offending was "happening in New Zealand and it is happening in Dunedin".

There was a strong link between people who viewed child sexual abuse images and those who offended against children, and society needed to be vigilant, Detective Sergeant Inglis said.